Kochi: Chief Minister Oomman Chandy on Monday disclosed that the state government was revisiting its plans to launch an airline of its own, though it was yet to abandon the project altogether.
"The Air Kerala project has hit a roadblock. If we were to submit an application to the Centre for the project, we have to have a capital base of Rs 100 crore, as per the present Civil Aviation rules in the country. But it will be a severe embarrassment if we mobilize that much funds as shares and we are unable to get the sanction," Chandy told TOI here.
He said under the present laws an airline can launch international flights only if it had operated domestic flights for five years.
"We have spoken to most of the influential people at the Centre, requesting for a waiver on this condition of five years of domestic flying experience, in the case of Air Kerala. There has not been any response so far from the Centre. Probably they are all waiting for us to put a formal application. But we have to be careful in this case, as we can submit the application only after mobilizing Rs 100 crore. Now we have to look for alternatives," Chandy said.
01/01/12 T Ramavarman/Times of India
